The Impact of Chemoprophylaxis and Patients’ Demographics on Bleeding After Abdominal Body Contouring Procedures

Background: Despite the current increase in body contouring surgery (BCS), the impact of preoperative chemoprophylaxis on bleeding after BCS remains undetermined. Methods: A single institution retrospective cohort study examined patients undergoing abdominal BCS (abdominoplasty, lower body lift, and/or liposuction). Outcomes included estimated blood loss (EBL), hemoglobin drop on the first post-operative day, drain output, length of hospital stay, and the need for surgical evacuation of hematoma or transfusion. Statistical tests performed included chi-square, Wilcoxon signed-rank, and linear regressions using R. Results: Of the 697 patients, 136 (19.5%) received no anticoagulation, 324 (46.5%) had preoperative anticoagulation, 209 (29.9%) received both preoperative and postoperative anticoagulation, and 28 (4%) had missing data. Preoperative LMWH was linked to a 45% increase in serosanguinous drain output on day one (145 ml vs. 100 ml; p < 0.001) but did not increase bleeding risk. Male patients had higher odds of hematoma (OR 14.8, p < 0.001), greater need for blood (OR 5.13, p < 0.001) or plasma (OR 6.15, p < 0.001) transfusion, more significant hemoglobin drop (− 2.23 +/− 1.06 g/dL vs. − 1.43 +/− 1.01 g/dL, p < 0.001), and higher drain output on day one (180 mL vs. 130 mL, p < 0.001) and overall (655 mL vs. 380 mL, p < 0.001). Previous obesity surgery patients also had higher odds for hematoma (OR 3.24, p = 0.011), blood transfusion (OR 3.26, p = 0.002), and increased drain output. Conclusions: Preoperative chemoprophylaxis in BCS is associated with increased serosanguinous drain output without additional bleeding risk. Male gender and a history of obesity surgery increase the risk of hematoma, hemoglobin drop, and transfusion needs. Level of Evidence III: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine Ratings, please refer to Table of Contents or online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.